Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Banff travel guide

Banff Tourism | Banff Guide

You're Going to Love Banff

With a population of 7,502, Banff is a must-see destination in Alberta, Canada. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Banff deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

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Where to Eat in Banff

If you’re looking for affordable options, Melissa's MisSteak (201 Banff Ave #2) and Sleeping Buffalo (700 Tunnel Mountain Road) are great picks. For delicious green meals, UNA pizza + wine - Banff (202 Caribou St) and Earls Kitchen + Bar - Banff (299 Banff Ave) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Banff.

When to visit Banff

Banff in February
Estimated hotel price
C$ 287
1 night at 3-star hotel
Banff in February
Estimated hotel price
C$ 287
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Banff in July, when the average temperature is 15 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is December, when it can get as cold as -13 °C, with an average temperature of -9 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 68 mm. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Banff, with an average rainfall of 17 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Banff

Plane

Although Banff doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Calgary Airport (YYC), which is located 108 km from Banff. Calgary Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, Air France, Aeromexico and other airlines departing from Canada. The shortest domestic flight to Banff departs from Vancouver and takes around 1h 15m.

Car

Another option to get to Banff is to pick up a car rental from Calgary, which is about 106 km from Banff. You’ll find branches of Turo and Zoom Rent A Car, among others, in Calgary.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Banff, including Rider Express, Cold Shot and Red Arrow. From Edmonton, the bus ride to Banff takes 274 km and will cost you around C$ 80. From Fort McMurray, the ticket costs about C$ 311 for a journey of 941 km. The most popular bus station is Banff Banff, Ab, located 0.8 km from downtown Banff. Banff Red-Carpet Inn is also a commonly used station, and is 0.7 km from the city centre.

Plane

Although Banff doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Calgary Airport (YYC), which is located 108 km from Banff. Calgary Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, Air France, Aeromexico and other airlines departing from Canada. The shortest domestic flight to Banff departs from Vancouver and takes around 1h 15m.

Car

Another option to get to Banff is to pick up a car rental from Calgary, which is about 106 km from Banff. You’ll find branches of Turo and Zoom Rent A Car, among others, in Calgary.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Banff, including Rider Express, Cold Shot and Red Arrow. From Edmonton, the bus ride to Banff takes 274 km and will cost you around C$ 80. From Fort McMurray, the ticket costs about C$ 311 for a journey of 941 km. The most popular bus station is Banff Banff, Ab, located 0.8 km from downtown Banff. Banff Red-Carpet Inn is also a commonly used station, and is 0.7 km from the city centre.

Airports near Banff

YYCCalgary
YQFRed Deer

Airlines serving Banff

Lufthansa
Good (7,046 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,839 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,588 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,934 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,790 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,245 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,069 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,968 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,292 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (853 reviews)
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Find flights to Banff

Where to stay in Banff

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hi Banff Alpine Centre - Hostel and Homestead Inn Banff.

Where to stay in popular areas of Banff

Most booked hotels in Banff

See all
Fairmont Banff Springs
4 stars
Excellent (9.3, Excellent reviews)
C$ 662+
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Moose Hotel and Suites
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
C$ 400+
View
Castle Mountain Chalets
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
C$ 282+
View
Banff Park Lodge
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
C$ 216+
View
Royal Canadian Lodge
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
C$ 226+
View
Hi Castle Mountain - Hostel
1 star
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
C$ 43+
View

Renting a car in Banff

Renting a car in Banff costs C$ 80 per day, on average, or C$ 160 if you want to rent it for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Avis are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Banff is the Hertz branch at 405 Spray Ave, which is 1 km from the downtown.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 14% more expensive than at Calgary.

Expect to pay C$ 1.72 per litre in Banff (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 20.60 and C$ 27.47. The most frequently booked car type in Banff is Economy (Chevrolet Spark or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Ford F-150 or similar) are, on average, 59% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Banff costs C$ 80 per day, on average, or C$ 160 if you want to rent it for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Avis are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Banff is the Hertz branch at 405 Spray Ave, which is 1 km from the downtown.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 14% more expensive than at Calgary.

Expect to pay C$ 1.72 per litre in Banff (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 20.60 and C$ 27.47. The most frequently booked car type in Banff is Economy (Chevrolet Spark or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Ford F-150 or similar) are, on average, 59% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Banff

Supplier choice

5 adults, 5 Bags

C$ 33/day

Supplier choice

Compact

4 adults, 2 Bags

C$ 34/day

Compact
Find car rentals in Banff

Banff Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Banff city guide for the best Banff travel tips. To help you organize your Banff trip ideas, this Banff visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.